


Don't Waste My Time

by hufflepuffkaspbrak



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, drama teacher!richie, richie's dog is named after princess leia, the other losers are just background characters, they're older obviously because eddie had to go through vet school and all that, vet!eddie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-14
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-04-22 16:05:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14312304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hufflepuffkaspbrak/pseuds/hufflepuffkaspbrak
Summary: In which Richie owns a dog and Eddie is a veterinarian, and Richie just wants to keep seeing Eddie.





	Don't Waste My Time

“Hello!” Richie greeted the receptionist enthusiastically. “I’m here for my dog’s checkup at 11.”

“What’s the name?” She smiled.

“Richie Tozier,” Then he added quickly. “My dog’s name is Leia. I don’t know if you meant her name or mine.”

Leia barked enthusiastically at the sound of her name in her owner’s mouth and Richie bent down to stroke her head.

“Just fill out this form and a technician will call you back when the vet’s ready.” The receptionist handed Richie a clipboard with a few papers on it.

Richie found a seat in the nearly empty waiting room, only a couple other people and their pets being there. One was a young girl and a cat, the other was a couple with a small little dog. Leia’s tail wagged happily as she looked at the other animals and Richie smiled at her before filling out the forms.

His dog, a fairly energetic Golden Retriever, was hopping around the smaller dog playfully when Richie’s name was called. A tall, friendly looking man was standing at the door, holding it open.

“My name’s Mike, we’re just gonna get her measured real quick, if you could follow me.” He waved them in.

Richie leaned against the wall as Mike weighed and measured Leia, his dog occasionally looking back at him to make sure he was still there.

“You guys can go into room C,” Mike said when he was done writing on his own clipboard. “The vet will be in with you shortly.”

“Thanks.” Richie grabbed the leash from where Mike’s outstretched hand held it and led Leia into the room. She looked around the new location happily, smelling everything she could, while Richie took the nearest seat, making sure she didn’t get into anything she shouldn’t. She eventually finished checking out the new room and hoped on the chair next to Richie, laying her head on his lap.

The door opened and Leia’s tail wagged at the new person.

“Hey guys, I’m Dr. Kaspbrak. I’m assuming this is our patient.” The vet knelt down next to Leia.

Richie was sure his jaw fell open as he looked at the vet, wavy hair and a bright smile, body wrapped up in his white coat. Richie’s thoughts were just _“fucking cute”_ as he tried to find the words to respond to him.

“What if I said I was the patient?” His brain kicked into overdrive and the words fell out before Richie could stop himself.

The vet’s eyes twinkled, a small smirk on his lips. “You’re a 60-pound golden retriever?”

“Maybe.”

Dr. Kaspbrak laughed. “Why don’t you help get Leia up on the table?”

Richie stood up from his chair, now realizing the height different between him and the vet. He wasn’t short, exactly, but Richie was over 6 feet tall, so even average sized people seem short to him. Richie wrapped his arms around his dog’s middle, picking her up the same way he had done so many times before.

“You got her?” Dr. Kaspbrak asked.

“Of course, I do.” Richie smiled and put her down on the table.

He chuckled. “Alright, well I’d appreciate it if you would pet her throughout this. Sometimes dogs can get a little panicky and they like to know that their owner is here.”

Richie nodded, stepping closer to the table and running his hand along the back of his dog. Dr. Kaspbrak smiled appreciatively and took his stethoscope of his neck, placing the tips in his ears, the end in his hand. He listened around Leia’s body and Richie could see the pink of his tongue sticking out slightly in concentration.

“Everything sounds good, Mr. Tozier.” Dr. Kaspbrak removed the stethoscope, putting it back around his neck, and began feeling around for irregularities around her body.

“Please, Dr. Kaspbrak, call me Richie.” He responded slowly.

The vet didn’t respond, continuing his examination, but Richie could see a faint flush on his cheeks. Leia licked the vet playfully, causing him to giggle and rub her head affectionately. Richie was pretty sure he had never heard a giggle that adorable come out of anyone’s mouth in his life.

“Are all the vets as cute as you?” Richie asked when the exam was over and the vet turned around, pulling his gloves off and looking at his computer. Richie took a second to look at his ass, which was unfortunately covered by his medical coat.

Dr. Kaspbrak turned his head around slowly, giving Richie a pointed look before glancing at his computer for a second longer.

“She’s in perfect health, Mr. Tozier.” He explained. “Good weight, nothing abnormal. And she’s up to date on all her necessary shots.”

“Necessary?”

“Yeah, there’s some that are optional but if you don’t want to pay for them, it won’t affect Leia’s health to not get them.”

“If I pay for them, will I get to look at you longer?” Richie ran a hand through his own hair.

The vet smirked. “No, I have another patient. My technician, Mike, would be giving her the shots. But if you’re into tall, dark, and handsome, you can stick around to look at him.” He picked up a couple papers and handed them over. “Just give this to the receptionist before you leave. Bye, Leia.” He waved to the dog and stepped out the door.

Richie stood still, shocked that he just walked out so quickly. “C’mon, Leia.” He grumbled and picked his dog up, putting her on the floor and putting her leash back on her.

 

A week later, Richie found himself back in the veterinarian clinic. “Richie Tozier here for some shots for my dog, Leia.”

“Appointment time?” The receptionist asked.

“2 with Dr. Kaspbrak.” He responded, and she ushered him to take a seat.

Richie had heard before that dogs are often nervous and scared to go to the vet, but Leia, for the second time in a week, seemed right at home in the office, playing with the other animals and exploring the small waiting room.

“Richie Tozier.” His name was called and he looked up to see the same technician as last week.

“Mike!” He spoke loudly and happily, pulling slightly on Leia’s leash to get her to follow.

“Mr. Tozier. Back so soon? Is she alright?” Mike asked, looking down at his dog.

“Oh, she’s fine. Just getting some shots.” Richie responded.

“Well then, follow me.” Mike smiled like he knew something that Richie didn’t and led them to their room.

“Dr. Kaspbrak will be with you soon.” He closed the door behind them.

“I’m so sorry, girl.” Richie rubbed Leia’s face in between his hands. “The shots are gonna hurt but now you’re gonna be extra healthy, alright?

She wagged her tail happily, blissfully unaware of the words that Richie was saying.

“Shots, Mr. Tozier?” Dr. Kaspbrak walked through the door, tray in hand.

Richie grinned and looked up at him. “I want my dog to be healthy.”

“And you couldn’t get the shots done last week?” He smirked as he put the tray down and helped get Leia up on the table.

“No offense to Mike, but I only trust my dog with people who look like they were sculpted by angels.”

Dr. Kaspbrak fake gagged. “That was awful! Like, really bad.”

Richie winced. “Not one of my best, I admit.”

The vet put on a pair of gloves, inspecting the shots on his tray. “You know this is going to be a bit painful for her?”

“It’s for her health.” Richie said innocently.

He squinted suspiciously. “Please hold her down. There’s only two, and it’ll be super quick.”

The vet brushed aside some of Leia’s hair and pressed the needle to her skin. “One, two, three…” He pressed in and Leia whimpered sadly, Richie immediately feeling incredibly bad that he dragged her into his plan to see the cute veterinarian.

“Good girl.” He whispered.

“We’ve just got one more, Leia.” The vet smiled, discarding the first needle and picking up the other. “It’s a whole five minute visit and that’s it.” He looked up at Richie quickly before giving her the other shot. She whimpered louder this time and Richie shushed her softy.

“Shh, it’s okay, girl, we’re all done.” He put his head down on her, hugging her softly.

Dr. Kaspbrak discarded the last needle and took his gloves off. “She’s all done. Sorry you had to come out so far for such a quick visit, it’s not like you could’ve done this at _any_ other time.”

“I don’t live far, and I certainly don’t need that sass, Dr. Kaspbrak.” Richie laughed and the vet sighed.

“Eddie.” He crossed his arms.

“Hm?” Richie hummed.

“My name’s Eddie.”

A huge grin stretched across Richie’s face. “Eddie. Cute.”

The vet, _Eddie_ , bit his lip hard, trying to get himself to not smile.

“Take care of Leia, Mr. Tozier.” He turned to grab the door handle.

“I told you to call me Richie.”

“Bye, Richie.”

 

“She’s been vomiting.”

“Has she now?” Eddie questioned, looking at the dog in front of him, whose tail was wagging quickly and didn’t seem sick.

“Okay, it was a couple times.” Richie conceded.

This time he hadn’t even waited a week, it had been approximately 3 days since his last visit to the vet when he called the clinic and made another appointment with the vet. And that time had been the fifth time since his original first visit for Leia’s checkup.

Eddie raised his eyebrows, maintaining eye contact with Richie, who felt his body heating up.

“Alright, once. She ate some grass and had an upset stomach.”

Leia barked happily, like she knew what she did.

“Mr. Tozier -”

“Richie.”

“Richie,” Eddie sighed. “Do you really think something is wrong with her? I can run some tests and take some x-rays to make sure everything’s fine, but it’s expensive. So, think about it before you tell me she’s throwing up.” He crossed his arms, lips pursed. “Now, she’s been vomiting?”

Richie looked down sadly. “No.”

“Now you’re wasting both of our times. I have a job to do, and so do you, I’m assuming. And Leia doesn’t need this back and forth. And you don’t need to be paying for these useless visits.” Eddie seemed a bit irritated and Richie fiddled with his fingers nervously.

“Sorry, Dr. Kaspbrak. I’ll leave you to it.” He grabbed Leia’s leash, she hadn’t even gotten up on the table before Eddie had called his bluff.

This time, Richie left the room before Eddie.

 

Richie pouted for approximately a week before his best friends, Beverly and Ben, dragged him out of his house. He knew that he hadn’t been himself, even his students at school had asked him if he was okay.

“It’s a cute vet, not your soulmate!” Bev practically screamed, the loudness of the bar around them making it hard to hear, and, also, Bev was just a loud person.

“You were paying to see a cute boy?” Ben questioned again, for what seemed to be the tenth time that night.

Richie shrugged “It’s not that ridiculous when you think about it. What about prostitutes?”

“Did you just compare your vet to a prostitute?” Bev nearly choked on her drink as she spoke.

“Yes.” Richie groaned and let his head fall on the table, his hands coming up to his hair. “I’m just mad.”

“Mad?”

“At myself!” He brought his head back up. “I’m ridiculous. I made up reasons to see a vet!”

Bev and Ben just laughed, fully aware that Richie was ridiculous, and always was, but it was always amusing to see him finally becoming self-aware of the idiotic things he sometimes did.

“Ah, there’s my favorite dramatic ass teacher.” Richie heard a voice from behind him and he whipped around to see Bill Denbrough, another teacher at his school.

“Bill!” Richie exclaimed. “I’m a drama teacher, what do you expect?”

“You’re more dramatic than the Shakespeare I make my students read.” Bill laughed.

“They’re plays, aren’t they? Right up my alley.” He smiled. Bev cleared her throat behind him and he gasped softly. “Oh, Bill, these are my best friends Beverly Marsh and Ben Hanscom.”

“Nice to meet you.” Bill smiled at them. “Now what’s this I hear about a vet? Is this why you’ve been grouchy this week?”

Ben let out a laugh.

“I wasn’t _grouchy_. I was just…pouting.” Richie said defensively.

“I’m guessing it was an awfully cute vet.”

“No veterinarian will ever be cuter than Dr. Eddie Kaspbrak.” Richie downed the rest of his drink, practically slamming the empty glass on the table.

By contrast, Bill choked on his drink. “E-Eddie Kaspbr-brak?” He managed to get out.

Richie raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Oh, god. Wait one minute, you _have_ to meet my boyfriend. He went to go get a drink, I’ll be right back.” Bill practically ran into the crowd.

Richie looked at his friends with wide eyes. “Guys! What if Eddie is his boyfriend?”

Bev shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“He choked on his drink and ran after to get him!” Richie slapped his forehead with his palm. “I’m a homewrecker.”

Beverly looked behind him and smiled. “I don’t know what Eddie looks like but if that’s him he’s fucking gorgeous.”

Richie head whipped around to see a gorgeous man, who was absolutely not Eddie, but who was absolutely Mike, the veterinarian technician. “I don’t know if this is better or worse.”

“Mr. Tozier, how are you?” Mike asked, as friendly and happy as always.

“Please, please, _please_ , call me Richie. I’m not in the office.”

“Sorry. How are you, _Richie_?”

“Richie is pouting, that’s what.” Bill piped in and Mike glanced at his boyfriend with a questioning look. Bill just nodded, sending Mike into a fit of giggles.

“Am I missing something?” Richie questioned, looking between the two men who were laughing their hearts out.

Mike grinned, tears in his eyes. “You’re pouting over Eddie, aren’t you?”

“You betrayed me, Bill!” Richie yelled, and Bev cackled.

“You know Eddie?” Ben asked.

“Uh, yeah. I’m Mike Hanlon. I’m a veterinarian technician at the clinic.”

Richie grimaced. “Don’t tell him, okay? I know I’m just some creepy treating him like a prostitute.”

Mike and Bill raised their eyebrows questioningly, but Richie waved it away.

“Anyways, sorry, but I need to tell him.” Mike responded.

“W-what, wait, no, Mike, I’m begging you.” Richie hopped off his chair, grabbing Mike by the shoulders.

“Let him explain, Richie.” Bill said, removing his friend from his boyfriend.

“Eddie’s been pouting, too.”

Richie shook his head. “Why would he be doing that?”

“Uh, maybe because all he talked about for a while was the cute guy with the cute dog, and since he snapped at you, all he’s talked about is how the cute guy with the cute dog will never come back.”

Richie bit his lip happily. “He thinks I’m cute?”

“ _‘Devastatingly and awkwardly attractive’_ were his exact words, but yes.”

“Hey, you can work with that.” Bev spoke up.

“I told him to get your number from our records, but he said it ‘wasn’t right’” Mike put air quotes around the last two words.

“Oh, Mike!” Bill exclaimed randomly.

Mike jumped slightly. “What?”

“The dinner party!” He claps his hands together happily.

“This is why I love you.” Mike smiled and leaned over to give Bill a quick kiss on the cheek.

Richie made a ‘go on’ gesture with his hands, looking at the two of them expectantly.

“Tomorrow, Mike and I are having Eddie and another friend of ours, Stan, over for dinner. You three should totally come.” Bill explained.

“Oh, um, I don’t know.” Richie ran his hands through his hair nervously.

Bev smacked his shoulder. “Richie Tozier. Free food, new friends, and a cute vet!”

“She makes a compelling point.” Mike smiled.

“Whether or not Richie will be there, me and Ben will be there. We love meeting new people.” Beverly said, gripping Richie’s arm painfully.

“But Richie will be there.” Ben added.

Mike raised a finger at Richie. “He better. Because I’m getting tired of Eddie looking at the schedule every morning with a sad, pathetic, puppy dog look on his face. And I work with dogs, I know exactly what that looks like.”

 

Richie rubbed his hands on his jeans nervously, desperately trying to get his palms to stop sweating. He, Beverly and Ben were in the hallway, Richie having just stopped them from knocking on the door. “Not yet.” He had said.

“Why?” Ben asked, a concerned look on his face.

“What if he’s in there?” Richie responded.

“So, what?” Bev said.

“What do you mean, so what?”

“Richie, he’s a boy. Who you’ve talked to a total of a handful of times. Sure, he’s cute, but honestly if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world.”

“You’re right.” He muttered and Bev smiled triumphantly, knocking on the door.

The door swung open and Bill smiled brightly from inside the apartment. “You came! Come in, Stan’s here but Eddie isn’t yet!”

Richie let out a huge sigh of relief to which Bill just shook his head. They walked in and introduced themselves to Stan, who knew Bill and Mike through Eddie, who he knew through their childhood together. He was so sharp tongued, smart, and oh-so-easy to talk to that Richie almost forgot they were expecting someone else when a knock sounded through the apartment.

Eddie walked through the door, not adorned in his medical coat or in scrubs, his stethoscope no longer around his neck. Jeans and a long-sleeved shirt replacing them and if Richie lost his breath for half a second, no one but him knew.

“Richie?” Eddie smiled, completely ignoring Mike, who had opened the door for him.

“Hey Dr. Kaspbrak.” Richie breathed out softly. “Gotta say, I miss the scrubs.”

“I don’t.” Eddie let out a quiet chuckle.

Richie eyes racked up and down the other man’s body, taking in everything in front of him and noticing the soft flush on his cheeks, his body heating up with nervousness and attraction.

“I say we eat before they fuck right here in the living room.” Stan quipped, and everyone laughed, Richie and Eddie still looking at each other, trying to stop themselves from smiling so brightly.

Eddie and Richie sat across from each other at the dinner table, their feet slotted between each other’s, but not moving, just touching. They looked at each other and spoke with such an intensity, it frightened Richie a bit. Sure, he thought Eddie was cute the moment he saw him, but this, seeing him outside of his work, was a whole new feeling.

Richie could hear everyone talking around him, getting to know each other and enjoying the food, but he wasn’t sure Eddie and himself had looked away from each other from the moment he walked in. They spoke to their friends every so often, normally just having a separate conversation with themselves.

Soon, the night came to a close and Eddie was the first to leave.

“I should go, I have an early surgery in the morning.” He said, standing up.

“I’ll walk you out.” Richie spoke loudly, causing everyone to chuckle.

Eddie smiled “Thank you, Bill and Mike, for the dinner. Ben and Beverly, it was nice meeting you. I’ll see you all again soon.” He waved, and Richie scrambled after him out the door.

The two stood in the hallway, the intensity that was previously there between them was laced with a slight awkwardness now that it was just the two of them.

“I’m sorry.” Richie spoke first.

Eddie’s head whipped up from where he was staring at the floor. “For what?”

“I wasted your time before.”

“Hey, I got paid.” Eddie let out a fit of giggles. “If anything, I should apologize to you. I snapped.”

“You had every right.” Richie leaned against the hallway wall. “What was I thinking? Bringing my dog in for expensive tests just to see you.”

“So, it _was_ just to see me.” Eddie stood in front of him.

“I thought I was pretty obvious.”

“It’s always good to make sure.”

They paused for a moment. “Mike told me you were talking about me.”

“That boy, I’m gonna kill him.” Eddie took a step towards where the door was down the hall, but Richie grabbed his arm, pulling him back right in front of him, closer this time. He ran his hand down Eddie’s arm, resting it on top of his hand.

“My students asked me if I was okay, because I was pouting.” Richie offered.

“Students?”

“I’m a high school drama teacher.”

Eddie smiled. “It fits.”

“I’ve been told.”

“Pouting?” Eddie brought back up.

Richie leaned his head back, still looking ever so slightly down at Eddie, so his whole body was pressed up against the wall. “Pouting. Goddammit, Eddie, you were so damn cute, and I thought I would have to get a new vet and I talked to you  _like six times_ and all I could think about was you. Like, fuck, I wouldn’t be surprised if I found out you were some siren that put a curse on me.”

“Don’t be dramatic.”

“It’s in my blood.”

Eddie’s tongued peaked out to lick his lips and it reminded Richie of the first time he walked into that office.

“I want to kiss you, Eds.” Richie spoke quietly.

Ignoring Richie’s proclamation, Eddie looked up at him in disgust. “Eds? Where did that come from? Don’t -”

“Do you want to kiss me, Eddie?”

Richie heard Eddie let out a harsh breath and he nodded, stood up on his toes, and pressed his lips against Richie’s.

Richie wasn’t a hopeless romantic. He didn’t like clichés and he felt like romance movies were extraordinarily unrealistic. And the whole “feeling fireworks when you kiss”? Bullshit.

But, damn, did Eddie Kaspbrak make him feel like he was on fire. Like every synapse in his body was firing at once and his whole life had led up to this moment. Sure, there were no fireworks, but he and Eddie fit perfectly. Richie’s arms wrapped around Eddie’s waist, his body squished between the wall and Eddie’s. Their lips pressed deliciously together and Eddie’s hands resting on his neck.

“So, does this mean I don’t have to get a new vet or does this mean I do. Because on one hand you don’t hate me but on the other hand, can’t have the doc dating a patient’s owner.” Richie rambled when they stopped briefly.

“Shut it.” Eddie shook his head and giggled, kissing Richie again, this time with more vigor.

They stopped only when their friends finally left the apartment and step out into the hallway, joking about how Eddie had an early surgery he had to rest up for when they saw the two of them. They exchanged numbers and parted ways. And Richie had the biggest smile on his face the whole way home. He texted Eddie good morning the next day, and the next day, and the next day. And he knows he wants to tell Eddie good morning every day for as long as he can.


End file.
